Language Inadequacy and Intellectual Potential: An Educational Priority in Ghana

Abstract

A persistent problem in many developing countries is the use of English as the medium of education, when the indigenous languages are still the preferred mode of interpersonal communication. The outcome can easily be that facility in English is at a very low level, because there are relatively few situations in which English is used in social interaction. In Ghana, through Primary School, English gradually becomes the medium of instruction and is wholly used by Secondary School level. However, outside the classroom, the various indigenous languages are preferred, though some Secondary Schools take steps to encourage use of English in informal communication. Thus the use of English in social interaction, clearly the most effective way of developing facility, may be restricted to infrequent and brief teacher-pupil exchanges. Vernon [1] describes a very similar situation in Uganda. Methods of dealing with the problem easily become confused with the very widespread desire to maintain and develop the indigenous languages, as part of the general political emphasis on independence and national identity. The effect of limited language facility becomes most marked at higher education levels. Until this point a strategy of extensive note taking and well developed memorization appears to be a fairly adequate method of compensation. The aims of higher education can hardly be realised with such study methods, and it is at times difficult to believe that acquisition of high level concepts and